Satan, his origin, work, and destiny

Front matter

GopightN -

COHBHGKT DEPOSIT,

Evangelist and Author

Foreword

It would be manifestly impossible for one to understand by ^witnessing one brief scene, the subtle plot of a drama. It is equally impossible for men, looking only at present developments, to understand the significance of the perplexing problems of the world. The darkness of uncertainty is illuminated by the light from the sacred Scriptures, God's revelation to men. The student of the Bible is furnished with a program, in which is recorded all the important acts and scenes of a great drama. The world is seen to be a stage upon which before the universe are being manifested the opposing characters of Christ, the rightful sovereign of the Creation, and Satan, a rebel who has sought for himself that exalted position.

The stage has been set for centuries. Kingdoms have risen and fallen. Great men have appeared, and after acting their brief part in the drama, have disappeared. The contending forces have surged back and forth. Many times the evil forces have seemed to triumph, and truth has seemed well nigh vanquished. But always, in some way, the right has conquered.

That portion of the Word of God that deals with this great conflict is far too little understood. There is brought to view the beginning of the great rebellion, before the appearance of man upon this earth. The wily leader is exposed, his motives and the methods of his attacks are revealed, also his desperate attempts for world control, and his final overthrow and the resulting triumph of everlasting righteousness.

A study of this little book will help to impress the reader with the reality of the struggle in which every one is a participant. Thoughtfully studied, it will enable him to understand the intensity of the controversy in these days, and will point the way to victory and a share in that glorious eternal kingdom where sin and evil are no more.

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DRAWN FROM PHOTO BY PAUL THOMPSON

Chapter I

MEDIEVAL tradition and superstition is the source of the conception which has come down to us of Satan as a monster of horrid form and hideous expression, with an accompaniment of hoofs, horns, pitchfork, barbed tail, and breath of flames. This hobgoblin of the ignorant and superstitious has no reality in fact, no basis in the Scriptures, and is the source of derision on the part of intelligent and cultured people.

This very grotesque and absurd impression regarding Satan is in itself an evidence of the craft and guile of the deceiver. Such a caricature serves only to excite the mockery of the intelligent, and thus disarms suspicion, prevents vigilance, .and leads men to disbelieve and deny the very existence of the devil.

When the world was finally aroused from the nightmare of papal superstition, and emerged from the dark ages, this farcical devil with horns and hoofs, smelling of sulphur, and spitting fire, was no longer calculated to frighten the people; and, discarding this absurdity, they were then prepared to go to the other extreme, and deny the existence of all unseen powers of evil. In this way they were led to become the prey and dupes of Satan.

So it can be plainly discerned that the entire devilism of the dark ages, with all its trumpery of horns, hoofs, pitchforks, gridirons, and imps that act as stokers of the furnaces of hell, is merely a device of the arch-deceiver himself, designed to deceive and delude people into a denial of his own existence, in order that men may thus be thrown off their guard and the more easily ensnared and deceived. This medieval devilism is utterly unknown to the Bible and Christianity.

Satan Transformed

These absurd views of a superstitious age we discard at once, and prepare ourselves to listen to the explicit statements of the Bible. And here in the Scriptures of truth Satan is set forth before us as one who is able to appear to men in a character which is the exact opposite of his true character. " Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.' ' 2 Cor. 11:14.

By this instruction we are placed on our guard. Those who wish to shield themselves from the adversary of their souls in this age will be on the lookout for manifestations of his power, — not frightful, hideous, ludicrous, grotesque, but manifestations in which truth will be so insidiously interwoven with error, and grace, courtesy, purity, and wisdom so mixed with impurity, immorality, and the antics of demons as shall lull suspicion, quiet apprehension, and prepare souls to be deceived. In these things may be discerned the subtlety of the serpent and the skill and cunning of the deceiver; for we may be certain that Satan will carefully guard himself in these manifestations from revealing anything that will shock the senses or awaken prejudice.

The Ascendency of Satan

The closing period of the world's history is to be marked by the ascendency of Satan. This is plainly taught in the word of God. When the arch-rebel against the government of God knows that he has but a short time in which to work, he will work with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, insomuch that if it were possible the very elect would be deceived. The accumulated wisdom and knowledge of six thousand years' experience in leading the human family into sin is to be brought to bear by Satan on the last generation of the human race, and especially upon the church of the living God in the latter days.

These things being true, it is apparent that if the last generation is to escape from the wiles of the devil, it must have some knowledge of his work, of his origin, of his power, and of his personality. We shall have but little hope of escaping his devices if we are in any doubt about them. Above all other periods in the history of the work of God on earth, it is imperative at this present time that the church should be acquainted with the work of its great adversary.

The Personality of Satan

The tendency which has appeared in the church during recent years to discredit the doctrine of the personality of the devil, and the lightness with which the whole subject is looked at when it is considered at all, increases the danger of the present hour.

Sermons upon the subject of Satan are very rare, and are received with incredulous smiles, as if the subject were one only for children and scarcely suitable for grown people.

But that this

... - Ihe devil is seen as the personal tempter of

Subject IS One 01 our Lord."

"Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

most vital importance is evident from the fact that the character and work of the devil are constantly dwelt on in the Scriptures of truth, especially in the New Testament. At the very beginning of the work of Christ the devil is seen as the personal tempter of our Lord, and through all the gospels, epistles, and the Revelation, the careful reader is struck with the constant references to the personality, the origin, power, cruelty, malignity, and final doom of the "god of this world/' From the study of the numerous titles and names which are applied to him in the Bible, it is plain that Satan is a personal being. Thus he is called "the adversary" (1 Pet. 5:8), "the accuser of our brethren" (Rev. 12:10), "the angel of the bottomless pit" (Rev. 9:11), "Apollyon" (Rev. 9:11), "Beelzebub" (Matt. 12:24), "Belial" (2 Cor. 6:15), "the dragon" (Rev. 20:2), "the father" of lies (John 8:44), "a liar" (John 8:44), "murderer" (John 8:44), "power of darkness" (Col. 1:13), "prince of this world" (John 14:30), "prince of the devils" (Matt. 12:24), "prince of the power of the air" (Eph. 2:2), "ruler of the darkness of this world" (Eph. 6:12), "the serpent" (2 Cor. 11:3), "the spirit that

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Viewing the spoils after the fray.

now worketh in the children of disobedience " (Eph. 2:2), "the tempter" (Matt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5), "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4), "unclean spirit" (Matt. 12:43), "the wicked one" (Matt. 13: 19, 38), "the evil one" (Matt. 6: 13).

The personality of Satan is still further set forth by those Bible references which represent the chief of the kingdom of evil as presumptuous (Job 1:6; Matt. 4: 5, 6), proud (1 Tim. 3:6), powerful (Eph. 2: 2; Eph. 6: 12), wicked (1 John 3: 12), malignant (Job 1: 9; Job 2: 4), subtle (Gen. 3: 1; 2 Cor. 11: 3), deceitful (2 Cor. 11: 14; Eph. 6: 11), fierce (Luke 8: 29; 9: 39, 42), cruel (1 Peter 5:8), always active in promoting evil (Job 1:7; 2:2).

In the Bible the work of Satan is compared to a fowler setting snares for the unwary (Ps. 91 : 3), to an enemy who in the darkness of the night sowed tares among the good seed of the field (Matt. 13:25, 39), to a wolf ravaging the flock (John 10: 12), to a lion seeking to catch and devour its prey (1 Peter 5:8). Against his subtlety, his treachery, and his devilish insinuations we can guard ourselves only by constant watching and prayer (2 Cor. 2: 11). Christ has commanded his people to resist uncompromisingly all his approaches and solicitations (1 Peter 5: 9; James 4: 7; Eph. 4: 27).

Through the Enemy's Country

From the teaching of the Holy Scriptures it is plain that the way of the Christian pilgrim who is journeying to reach the kingdom of God lies through the enemy's country, through the territory of "the god of this world." While the weary pilgrim has a mighty God to defend him, while he is safe in the keeping of the Good Shepherd, while he will be surely guided by the Spirit of Truth, yet the struggle with the enemy of his soul will be real and painful; he will find it necessary to sustain a prolonged and fiery ordeal, and a most severe conflict. The pilgrim believer will find his way safe only as he realizes that the sleepless and vigilant eye of a malignant and cruel enemy is following his every step, and that the accumulated subtlety and cunning of six thousand years of experience is constantly at work to draw him away from Christ, and he is thus made to realize his need of constant watching and prayer.

Satan's Mightiest Working in This Age

In the last years of the history of this present evil world the mightiest working of Satan is to be witnessed. The Bible most clearly reveals the fact that the time is very near at hand when the history of this world will be closed, and the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. Rev. 11: 15. Ere long Satan is to be destroyed. Rev. 20: 9-14. Soon this whole world will enter into possession of the people of God. Dan. 7 : 27. The whole government of this earth, as now controlled and managed by sinful men, is soon to pass away, and the history of Satan's rebellion and his usurped dominion on earth will before long be ended. The unfolding of the prophecies of the Bible, and the rapidly fulfilling signs of the times, very plainly reveal that the end of this age is very near.

From his knowledge of the Scriptures, and from what he sees of the maturing plans of God, Satan plainly perceives that the time of his overthrow can not be long delayed. A short time only remains for him, and hence he will make a special effort to keep the whole world under his power. He knows that Christ will not come without some signal display of power and glory, hence Satan is determined that he also will manifest his power to the world, with the design of having his false miracles attributed to the miracle-working power of God.

Lucifer was one of the covering cherubim.

Chapter II

CATAN once dwelt at the court of Jehovah, where his name was Lucifer. Created by the Maker of all, he was one of the most glorious and beautiful beings among the angelic hosts, and was honored and loved as a leader of great multitudes of the angels of God. Exalted by his Maker to a position of great prominence and influence, he was able to lead many of the angels astray when sin found an entrance into his heart and mind.

God did not create the devil. He created a beautiful and holy* angel, and designed and made it possible for him so to continue. But it is possible for such a being, as illustrated in the fall of man, to lapse into a state of sin; yes, even to change his nature until it becomes essentially sinful. Thus we have the record that God made man at the first "upright" (Gen. 1:27; Eccl. 7:29), but later not only his nature but also "the imagination of the thoughts of his heart" became "only evil." Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Ps. 53:1-3.

Thus, too, the angels, that higher order of created intelligences than man (Ps. 8:4, 5), were created in a pure and sinless condition. But they did not all retain this condition, 14 for we have the record that certain of the angels "kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation. " Jude 6. They had all at one time been among "the elect angels" (1 Tim. 5: 21), but now the Bible divides the angels into two classes, — "the elect/' and those "that left their own habitation." Of these latter Peter says that "God spared not the angels that sinned." 2 Peter 2:4.

From these Scriptures we obtain three important facts. First, certain angels who were originally pure and holy fell into sin. Second, these fallen angels by this apostasy lost their standing with God. Third, in addition to this they came under God's heavy displeasure, for he "delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." 2 Peter 2:4.

God Did Not Create Sin

In none of these cases did God compel his creatures to sin. He ,

t , . ■ . "He was probably one of tbe leaders of the

did not create sm- angeHc cnolr of heaven."

ners. He did not create sin. He created pure and holy beings, and they yielded themselves as servants to sin.

That Lucifer's first abode was in heaven is taught very plainly in the Scriptures. This could be gathered from the words of Christ, "Your father the devil . . . abode not in the truth." John 8: 44. Thus there was a time when Satan was in the truth, and in the abode of truth. Where this abode of truth is will be seen from the further words of Christ, "I beheld Satan, as lightning, fall from heaven." Luke 10:18.

Recognizing that the animating spirit in ancient Babylon as also in modern Babylon, was, and is, that of the father of evil, the devil, this being is addressed in the book of Isaiah and his origin spoken of as follows:

"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!" Isa. 14: 12.

The original home of Satan is also spoken of in the New Testament in the following words:

"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan." Rev. 12:7-9.

From this passage it is evident that the " place" of the devil was once "in heaven," but that the time came when it was no longer there.

Lucifer a Mighty Angel

Lucifer was one of the great princes of the kingdom of God in heaven before his fall, holding a position under Jehovah, the Creator, which made him a leader of a great host of angels. He was a bright, glorious being. The marginal reading for "Lucifer" in Isaiah 14:12 is "day-star." Under the figure of the king of Tyre, a description of Lucifer is given by Ezekiel. Here God addresses this fallen being, and says: "Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty." Eze. 28:12.

Lucifer was one of the wisest of all the creatures of heaven. Concerning the splendor and glory conferred upon him by the Creator, we have the record:

"Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; e\ iryfyl cious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold." Eze. 28: 13.

He was resplendent, therefore, not

only in the beauty of his person, but

also in that beauty and glory by which

he was covered and surrounded in the

exalted position which he

held by the gift of

his Maker.

He was

probably

one of the

leaders, if not the leader, of the

great angelic choir of heaven, for

he was a talented singer. The

record is:

"The workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created."

Eze. 28: 13.

Lucifer was a being clothed with purity and holiness. " Thou was perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created." Eze. 28: 15.

The Anointed Cherub

Concerning the exalted station in which he was placed by his Creator we are not left in darkness.

"Thou art the anointed cherub thatcovereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast waited up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. ' ' Eze. 28 : 14.

God dwells in heaven, " sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, " ; n the great heavenly te r k .* Isa. 6: 1.

By worldly pleasures many are lured to destruction.

He is surrounded by " an innumerable company of angels, " " ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. " Heb. 12: 22; Rev. 5:11. When God gave instruction to Moses to build a dwelling place for him upon the earth, he had everything in the earthly tabernacle made " after the pattern" which he showed to Moses "in the mount." Ex. 25:9, 40. That is, Moses was given a glimpse of the heavenly temple in which God dwells, and instructed to take it as a model for the building of the earthly tabernacle.

In this earthly tabernacle there was a miniature representation of the throne of God in the heavens, fashioned after the pattern which Moses had seen. This was called the "ark of the covenant." A description of how this ark was made is given in the book of Exodus. Chap. 25 : 10-22. It was a hollow chest, overlaid with gold, and having a cover made of solid gold which was called the mercy seat.

On either side of this mercy seat, and wrought of the same piece of gold with it, were the figures of two angels, or cherubs.

"And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. . . . And

He delights in storms and destruction.

there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony." Ex. 25:20-22.

This was a miniature of the throne of the Most High in the heavens. Of this throne in heaven, the Lord says:

"The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved." Ps. 99:1.

Recalling the expression in Ezekiel, "Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth," and keeping in mind this explanation of the throne of God, we can understand better the exalted position which Lucifer occupied at the court of the King of kings. He was one of the most exalted creatures there, and wielded power less in degree only to that of God and his only begotten Son. A great host of angels looked to him for leadership. His influence was wide, his power was great, honored as he was by the One whom all created intelligent creatures delighted to honor and serve and obey.

What a peaceful and beautiful scene it all presents — the government and dominion of the God of heaven, whose kingdom ruleth over all! Throughout its boundless domain there was nothing to mar or make afraid. In peace and contentment, and in absolute purity, dwelt the creatures who had been brought into existence by the creative power of God. Sin had not laid its blighting hand on any part of this widespread dominion. Disease and sickness were unknown. Pain and sorrow and death had never been felt by any of the inhabitants of that great kingdom. Love for God and for each other reigned supreme in every heart, and unutterable joy filled every breast, as all united in worship of their Maker. Winging their way out into the vastness of unmeasured space, they were privileged to visit the inhabitants of other worlds. And in the city of the Great King, bowing their heads in reverent adoration of the Lord of all worlds, they united their magnificent voices in far-sounding praise under the leadership of the majestic Lucifer. Privileged to eat of the fruit of the tree of life and drink of the water of the river of life, they were without fear of death, and looked forward to a never-ending existence. No thought of sin or death marred their happiness. Their hearts were filled with joy and peace as they basked in the smiles of their loving and all-powerful Father. Such was the abode of Lucifer before sin entered his heart and took possession of his life.

Lu the covering cherub.

Chapter III

TT is important at the very beginning of our study of the origin of sin that we obtain an adequate conception of the vastiiess of the kingdom of God. Viewing this subject of the existence of evil and the origin and work of Satan from the standpoint of this world only, we shall never find any satisfactory solution to the great problem which it presents. But viewing it from the standpoint of the entire universe, with its unnumbered millions of created intelligences and its far-flung boundaries reaching out into infinite space, we may gain some slight idea of the majesty and justice of God in permitting Satan to work his will among the inhabitants of the earth. And so in this chapter we shall launch out upon a journey which will reveal to us something .of the greatness of the dominion over which Jehovah rules as King. In imagination we shall travel through the vast reaches of space which separate the various parts of the kingdom until thought and im- 22 agination fail and the heart faints with the greatness of the mind of God, who spoke it all into existence.

The Vastness of the Earth

Before starting upon this journey, let us view that part of the dominions of God upon which we dwell — the earth itself.

.

"If we were to take our station on a mountain from which we could see forty miles in every direction."

This earth is a globe 8,000 miles in diameter, and about 25,000 miles in circumference. Its surface contains nearly 200,000,000 square miles. It is diversified with great divisions of land and water, continents, oceans, islands; mountains which push their mighty heads through the clouds; depths of ocean which are unfathomed; vast subterraneous caverns; volcanoes belching flame; lakes, rivers, forests, and swelling hills; animals of every form and size, from the elephant to the ant; unnumbered schools of fish, from the whale to the minnow, playing in the depths of the ocean; birds of all kinds and without number flying through the air above; and numerous tribes and nations of men who suppose themselves to be rulers of it all.

It is only with laborious thought that the mind takes in the vastness of the bulk of the earth. If we were to take our station on a mountain from which we could see forty miles in every direction, a circle eighty miles in diameter, and 250 miles around its outer rim, our eyes would cover an area of 5,000 square miles. With the hills, valleys, rivers, lakes, villages, farms, roads, and cities which such a scene would present to the view, we should find it difficult readily to grasp it at once. But when our eye covers such an area, we are looking at but one forty-thousandth part of the entire area of the earth's surface. We must see 40,000 such views pass before us before we have seen all of the surface of the earth.

And if we were to keep our station on that lofty mountain peak while one such scene as this passed before our eyes every hour, and we devoted twelve hours every day, day after day, to this work, we should be compelled to remain there nine years and forty-eight days before we had seen the whole surface of this majestic ball upon which we dwell. And then most of the objects would have passed by us at a distance of from one to forty miles, which would make most of the view indistinct.

And should we be determined to see everything distinctly before we leave on our long journey to other planets and systems, and come down from the mountain top to walk through every square mile of the surface of the earth, and walk thirty miles every day, 18,264 years would pass before we had finished our journey. If we had started when Adam was created we should now be but one-third through.

And consider the bulk of the earth. It is eight thousand miles through it; that is, its solid contents amount to 263,- 858,149,120 cubic miles. After laborious effort the mind fails to take in the thought of such a, vast amount of matter. Howgreat must be the power of Jehovah who spoke it all into existence! How limitless must be his might "who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance. " Isa. 40: 12.

Thus, before we have left our own domain, we find ourselves bewildered at the immensity of a world which is among the smallest of the planets, and we have advanced but a single step upon our journey into the dominions of the God of all the universe. This globe of ours, yes, even the entire solar system, is but as "a drop in the bucket " in comparison with the material universe over which God presides.

The Solar System

But we have taken no more than the first step upon our journey, and we must hasten on. Taking our flight out into the planetary system, the system that is controlled by our sun, which is its center, we find that one of the planets is 780 times as large as the earth, and is encircled by a ring which reaches out from its surface nearly as far as the moon is from the surface of the earth. Another of these planets is 1,400 times as large as the earth, though it appears but a bright star to the naked eye at night. Taking all of the great orbs which circle around the sun, we find they contain a mass of matter 2,500 times greater than that of the earth.

And that great ball which controls them all, and dispenses to them all light and warmth — the sun — is 740 times greater than all the planets together, and 1,300,000 times larger than the earth, throwing the light and warmth out from its surface to the outermost planet, which is 2,790,000,000 miles away. The eye or the imagination can contemplate no more glorious and magnificent object than this, wielding its controlling influence over the planets which swing through space around, governing this great family with a power which never for one instant fails.

Mercury is the nearest of the planets to the sun, being 36,000,000 miles distant; Venus is 67,500,000 miles away; the earth, 93,000,000; Mars, 141,500,000; Jupiter, 483,300,000; Saturn, 886,000,000; Uranus, 1,780,000,000; and Neptune, 2,790,000,000. Taking a copper cent to represent the weight of the earth, Mercury and Mars, in comparison, would be as large as the old three-cent piece; Venus, as a ten -cent piece; Uranus, as a dollar and three quarters; Neptune as two dollars; Saturn, as eleven dollars; and Jupiter, as thirty-seven dollars.

The Stellar System

And now we have reached the outermost rim of our solar system, and look for new worlds to conquer. But where shall we begin? The universe before us is swimming with myriads of stars and systems. Out at an inconceivable distance beyond our solar system is the stellar system, — the system of the stars. On a clear winter night about two thousand of these stars can be seen with the naked eye, and as each one of these stars is a great sun like our own, undoubtedly surrounded as ours

Volcanoes belching flame.

DRAWN FROM PHOTO BY KADEE & HERBERT

"Rivers, forests, and swelling hills.

is with planets controlled by this central luminary, there lies before us a mass of matter equal to two thousand solar systems, or to 1,500,000,000 globes of the size of the earth. But when we realize that the stars which can be perceived by the eye do not compose one one-hundred-thousandth part of those which can be seen through a large telescope, some idea can be faintly grasped of the length of the journey before us. In parts of the sky where the eye can not discern more than twenty stars, the telescope will reveal thousands.